Belukurichi Sri Palaniyappar Temple

Palaniyappar temple is a small temple dedicated to God Murugan located in Belukurichi village in. It is said that several kings have visited this temple. The Temple is believed to be 1000 years old. The Idol of the Lord Murugan in this temple is in the form of hunter where his hair knotted at top of his head.This Palaniyappar Temple is atop a hillock called Koogai Malai. This hillock is referred to as Koogachalam in the hymns of Arunagirinathar. This is the place where Lord Muruga disguised himself as a handsome hunter youth to lure and marry Valli.

Puranic Significance

Lord Muruga here is in the form of a hunter called the ‘Veduvan Kolam’. The idol is found with his hair knotted atop his head and a string of Kondrai flowers (Golden shower) are found etched around it. The idol of Lord Murugan in this temple is swayambu or said to have formed by its own. Three lines of sacred ash with a spear (Vel) in the middle are found on the forehead of the deity. This symbolizes a union of Shiva and Shakthi. A string of golden shower flowers are also found tied around his waist, from where hangs a dagger. In his right hand he holds the Vajra vel or the sacred lance. This idol has got a unique feature wherein Lord Muruga holds a rooster (Cheval) in his left hand though resting on his hip. The Lord is facing west. This kind of a Muruga statue or idol holding a rooster is nowhere to be found in the world except this temple. However, similar  Muruga idols can be seen in temples like  Sikkal etc. which are not the ‘Moolavar’ or at the Sanctum Sanctorum.

The Lord is also depicted as wearing sandals in his feet which is another unique feature (This is also seen in Sikkal). The deity here in Belukurichi is said to have been created by Bhogar much ahead of the one in Palani, from the Pashanams of Kolli hills and hence the Lord is called Palani Appa (the one that came before Palani). Usually, when deities are depicted holding weapons, the height of the weapon does not exceed the height of the deity. However, here we find that the spear is shown taller than the deity. Lord Shiva, Vishnu and Brahma have bestowed their powers to the Lord through the spear, which is depicting having three parts denoting each of them.

On full moon days, thousands of people gather here to witness the midnight worship. It is believed that the eighteen Siddhars come here to worship him at that time. The abhishekam and alankarams are all completed by 11.50 pm and the doors of the sanctum are closed and all the devotees move outside to wait. At the stroke of midnight, the doors are opened. Signs of puja having been performed, and visible signs of changes in the alankaram are witnessed to this day.